Humble City Council approves new floodplain regulation

Humble City Council is the latest Houston-area city to approve changes to floodplain development regulations in response to Hurricane Harvey.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the council unanimously approved a new code that requires homes and business within the 100-year floodplain to be built 2 feet above the 500-year floodplain.

Previously, the regulations only applied to the 100-year floodplain but the updates have been extended to include the 500-year floodplain. Council members say the new code is based on what Harris County has already implemented and that the city of Houston is considering and will vote on later this month.

“We took out pieces that we believe will apply to us but that are also consistent to a certain degree with the neighboring county and city just so there’s some continuity across the board for contractors and developers so they don’t have to deal with a hodgepodge of different rules and regulations,” Jason Stuebe, Humble city manager, said to the Houston Chronicle.

The updates only apply to new construction in the area or to buildings that will be undergoing considerable reconstruction or additions.